


Getting in the Spirit

by xhookswenchx (ReluctantPrincess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Christmas, F/M, Modern AU, csss2k18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-09-27 15:19:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17164382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantPrincess/pseuds/xhookswenchx
Summary: Neither Emma nor Killian are big on the holidays. Maybe it’s just that they’re not that into it, or maybe, they’ve just never had much of a reason to celebrate. Either way, when Killian’s apartment has some technical difficulties shortly before Christmas, Emma offers up her couch to her sometimes friend/sometimes annoyance of a neighbor.(Mostly G because it’s fluffy, maybe T in the next two parts because fluff and some innuendos.)





	1. Getting to Know You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LetItRaines](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetItRaines/gifts).



Emma Swan didn’t hate her across-the-hall neighbor per se.  He could be kind, funny, and incredibly generous at times. At other times, he was loud, obnoxious, and a relentless flirt. Granted, the flirting  _ had  _ irritated the hell out of Walsh, which made it funny at the time. But now that he was gone, the innuendos mostly grated on her nerves.

Still, she considered Killian Jones a friend. Sort of. 

Mary Margaret and David seemed to like him. At least, they never rolled their eyes or groaned whenever he inserted himself into whatever get-together they had going on. Emma always cursed the thin walls. There was no hiding anything in their apartment building.

Rudeness aside, he  _ was  _ a pretty decent guy most of the time. And he could be fun to talk to, even when he invited himself over. Not that she complained there either. Usually, it was because he’d smell something burning - a regular occurance for her - and he’d come along with a plate of whatever he’d made, or he’d take over and fix whatever dish she’d managed to demolish. He was a pretty good cook, so she’d be lying if she said that some of her own dishes weren’t burnt on purpose. 

Not that she’d tell him that.

She also refused to even hint that she might find him attractive. His ego was big enough, and his flirting would only get worse if he ever caught her ogling him. Worse than that, she was pretty sure dating your neighbor was a line you weren’t supposed to cross.  

Which made their current predicament even worse than it should have been.

“I apologize for being a burden, Swan,” Killian said for the millionth time since she offered up her couch. 

“You really need to stop doing that,” she grumbled. “It’s fine. Not like you haven’t taken up space on my couch before.”

“Aye,” he agreed. “But this isn’t me falling asleep during one of those ridiculous movies your friends like to watch. I’m here for... “ he frowned.

“The foreseeable future?” she offered. She still wasn’t exactly sure what had happened, but when Killian showed up on her doorstep, drenched and disheveled with only an explanation that his apartment had been condemned for the time being, she assumed it wasn’t good.

“And it’s Christmas,” he added. “You likely have enough going on this week and neither of us knows when they’re even going to get started on fixing my apartment.”

“It’s fine,” she said again. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly a holiday person.” She gestured around the room as if to emphasize the lack of tree and decorations. “Besides, it’s silly for you to go waste money on a hotel when I can definitely benefit from your cooking.”

“Is that why you keep me around, luv?” he teased, causing her to roll her eyes and throw a pillow at him. He only chuckled in response, further irritating her. 

It was going to be a long week.

The next morning proved her theory correct when they both fumbled around the kitchen trying to stay out of one another’s way. Suddenly, her already small apartment felt as though it was shrinking.

“So what exactly happened?” she asked. Finding some space at the counter, she sat with her coffee and charred toast. When Killian made a face at her breakfast, she grumbled about the toaster being long past its prime. But… food was food.

He put the bread away, passing on the toast and opting for an apple instead. “I suppose the right question would be what  _ didn’t  _ happen.”

She laughed at that. “So, what  _ didn’t  _ happen.”

Killian groaned. “Well, the apartment didn’t explode. But, it sounds like there’s some sort of major leak going on with the water, and an electrical issue that’s turned into a fire hazard. Whether or not they’re related wasn’t made clear to me. I just know that the three apartments on my side are having issues, and it looks as though it all started with one of the apartments above us. From what I hear, that one  _ almost  _ exploded. I only had to deal with a small flood and some faulty electronics.”

“I hope it didn’t ruin any presents,” Emma said offhandedly. 

“Like you, Swan, I’m not much of the Christmas type,” he shrugged. 

Not that she would have guessed. While he liked to join her and her friends often, there were parts of him that he didn’t share. She could tell that as outgoing as he was, he was also guarded.

There was a part of her that felt guilty for not really getting to know the guy. After all, he was technically in their little friend squad now, and all she really knew was that he was the hot guy who sometimes brought her food and fell asleep on her couch.

Maybe now was the perfect time to get to know him, and be the friend she knew she should have been from the beginning. From what she could assume, he didn’t have any family in the area, otherwise, he’d have gone to stay there. At least, that’s what  _ most  _ people would have done. Or he could have stayed with friends, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she, David, and Mary Margaret  _ were  _ his friends. 

She realized she’d completely zoned out when he cleared his throat. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“I could see the wheels turning. No, I haven’t got any family, and if you couldn’t tell by the accent, I’m a transplant.”

_ God, he really  _ was  _ alone. _

“What about you?” he asked.

“David and Mary Margaret adopted me,” she said. “Other than that, I’m not a real people person.” It wasn’t the full story, but she got the feeling that he didn’t share everything either. “So, I know we’re not really Christmas people, but David and Mary Margaret like to come over on Christmas Eve for movies and a little gift exchange. I mean… you’re going to be here anyway, so maybe…” she trailed off, not really sure where she was going with the thought. “They bring cookies, I bring soda-”

“I can bring the rum,” he offered with a smirk.


	2. Getting to Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little late! I have been pretty much doped up and snoozing thanks to this virus. So, here is part two. Emma and Killian get closer, and Christmas brings some surprises for everyone.  
> (my CSSS2k18 for let-it-raines)

The next few days could only be described as “chaos”. Killian did his best to stay out of Emma’s way, but failed miserably. Mostly because deep down, he knew he wanted to be as close to her as possible.

He’d always been attracted to her, but it never seemed quite right to try and move in so soon after her breakup.

It didn’t stop him from weaseling into her friend group though. His intentions truly were to make some friends seeing as he’d left all of his in England. And Emma was his friend… sort of, and her friends seemed nice, and they’d let him tag along, so he figured he’d been accepted.

Sometimes, he felt his presence annoyed Emma. It was a surprise when she offered him a place to stay after the fiasco with his own apartment. After a couple days however, it was apparent that he didn’t annoy her as much as he’d previously thought. He got the feeling that her irritation was feigned and nothing more than a wall.

Christmas Eve with her friends convinced him even more that maybe, just maybe, Emma might be interested in more than their odd friendship. By the time gifts had been opened and the treats consumed, Emma was even more open than usual. As much as he wanted to blame the rum for her unexplainable need to cuddle during the movie, she hadn’t had any. Something about solidarity for Mary Margaret, whose pregnancy prevented her from drinking.

As Mary Margaret and David were about to leave, Mary Margaret began fiddling with her mittens. “Emma…” she said slowly. “I know I ask you every year, and every year you say no, but we’d really like to have you over for Christmas dinner tomorrow.” She looked up at Killian and smiled. “You can come too if you want. Ruth makes enough to feed an army.”

“I think that sounds lovely,” Killian said. “We should go, Swan.” Christmas person or not, a big dinner with friends didn’t sound so terrible. In fact, it sounded pretty damn good at the moment.

“Yeah, okay,” Emma agreed.

Mary Margaret seemed shocked to hear that answer. “Really?” she asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Emma shrugged. She seemed intent on keeping her answer casual, but Mary Margaret looked as though she might be over the moon.

* * *

“I changed my mind,” Emma stated the next morning. She wasn’t sure what possessed her to agree to Mary Margaret's invitation, but after mulling it over all night, she realized that going would be a disaster. “There’s a lot of people, and we’re going to have to come up with a side dish to bring, and did I mention people?”

Killian chuckled. _The nerve._

“If anything, I should be the uncomfortable one,” he said. “I take it that you know Mary Margaret’s family?”

“David’s,” Emma corrected. “Ruth is David’s mom. And yeah, I’ve known them for awhile. But David said his mom goes overboard on Christmas, and I’m sure the house is just going to be full-”

“They want you there,” he interrupted. “And like I said, you know them. I don’t. I’d be much more comfortable if I had a familiar face there.”

“Mary Margaret and David will be there,” she reminded him.

“I want you to be there,” he insisted. “Don’t worry about the side dish. I’ll take care of it. Then, we can go, have a good dinner, and be amongst friends. It doesn’t sound so horrible now, does it?”

“I guess not,” she mumbled.

“Do I need to bring a gift?” he asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “They do presents in the morning. This is just dinner.”

“All right then,” he nodded. “We’re going. No backing out, Swan.”

_Dammit._

There was something unsettling about the fact that they were arriving together. Not just carpooling, but they were coming as a unit, with a side dish that counted as “from them.” (Nevermind the fact that he refused to let her into the kitchen lest she destroy it.)

THe unsettling part wasn’t that it was odd, it was that it felt right. Everything about the week had felt right despite the cramped conditions in the apartment.

It scared her just a bit. Maybe even more than being surrounded by a bunch of people on a holiday she never really celebrated.

Busying herself in the kitchen with Mary Margaret and Ruth kept her mind off of things. Neither of the women let her touch anything she might burn, so she worked on chopping up vegetables for the salad.

Killian was the furthest thing from her mind up until the moment when he walked up and stood next to her. She could hear Mary Margaret giggling, but before she could ask if they’d all lost their damn minds, Killian gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“What the hell?” she asked, realizing that he was dangling a bit of mistletoe over her head. “How much egg nog have you had?” She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

“I needed a bit for the courage,” he shrugged.

“I think we should get this stuff on the table,” Ruth said quickly. She grabbed a few items and ushered Mary Margaret out of the kitchen.

“Did I misjudge?” he asked.

Immediately, Emma felt like a jerk. She hadn’t meant to go on the defensive. “You just caught me off guard is all,” she said.

“So you’re not mad?”

“No,” she said quietly.

There was a look in his eyes, and she knew he was going to kiss her. _Really_ kiss her. And dammit, she wasn’t going to stop him.

“Hey guys, we need-” David stopped in his tracks when they turned to look at him. “Sorry… I uh… just came to… get the cider. Mom said she needs the salad too. We’re gonna eat in a minute.”

After David grabbed the cider and ducked out, Emma picked up the salad. “I guess Mary Margaret didn’t warn him.”

“Or she did, and he did that on purpose,” Killian suggested.

“I wouldn’t put that past him,” she agreed. “But… you were going to kiss me.”

“Aye,” he nodded. “But now, it will just have to wait until later.” He smirked and made a show of shoving the mistletoe into his pocket. She tried to protest, but he held up his hand and shook his head. “Later, Swan.”

He _did_ kiss her later. And then he kissed her again. And again. She never wanted him to stop. The wall she’d worked so hard on building up around her heart seemed to be crumbling at breakneck speed. It scared her, but more than that, it started up the damn butterflies all over again.

The next morning, she woke to smell of bacon and pancakes and with a smile, she grabbed her robe and made her way into the kitchen. Of _course_ he would make her breakfast. There was a part of her still ready to freak out and run, but another part of her that was just happy.

“Morning, luv,” Killian said when he saw her. “I take it you slept well?”

“I mean… I didn’t wake up when you got out of bed, so I guess that means I slept like the dead.”

He chuckled. “Thought you might like some breakfast,” he shrugged. “That isn’t cereal or charred toast.”

“Ha. Ha,” she deadpanned.

As they ate, worry crept in. Was it just a one time thing? She couldn’t imagine it was. But then what _were_ they? Friends who just happened to hook up over the holiday? Killian seemed to want more. _She_ wanted more. But they ate in silence. Her happiness began to fade as she realized they needed to talk, but she had no idea what to say.


	3. Getting to Hope You Like Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The happy ending!

Two days -and several more adventures in the bedroom- later, they still hadn’t talked. She couldn’t blame him entirely. Whether or not he had intentions to talk,  _ she  _ was the one avoiding it. As much as she knew they needed to clarify…  _ everything _ … she wasn’t ready for what she was certain would be an awkward conversation.

So when Killian announced that his apartment was ready, she was more than a little crushed. He seemed so excited to get back to his own place that she started to question just about everything.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you?” She asked, annoyed at how timid she sounded. Why did it hurt so much? She tried to remind herself that he was just her annoying neighbor. So what if it was just a fling? If he didn’t want her, that was his problem, not hers.

“I’m not quite sure about the state of my apartment,” he said. “I hope they cleaned up whatever mess they’ve made. But if they haven’t, just give me a few hours to make it presentable, and then I’ll have you over for dinner.”

She relaxed a bit at that. “You know, I could always help you tidy up.”

“Nonsense, Swan,” he chuckled. “Let me do this for you.”

She wanted to remind him that he’d been helping her around the apartment all week. Not to mention he’d also been doing most of the cooking. If anyone deserved to be pampered, it was Killian Jones.

“Okay,” she agreed instead. Arguing was pointless. “I’ll see you later then?”

“Aye.” 

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when he leaned in and kissed her gently. 

_ This wasn’t the end. _

She almost felt silly for thinking that it was.

* * *

“You and Killian?” Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow even though she damn well knew that-

“Yes,” Emma sighed. “Me and Killian. Come on now. You were  _ there. _ ” She groaned when Mary Margaret feigned ignorance. “At the party?”

“Oh yeah,” her friend teased. “I thought maybe you two were having a moment. But… it’s strange. You were just telling me a couple weeks ago that he was the most obnoxious neighbor you’d ever had.”

“I mean… he  _ is  _ a pretty obnoxious neighbor,” she reasoned. When was the last time we had a get together that didn’t involve him knocking on the door and acting surprised to find you and David here?”

“Christmas Eve,” Mary Margaret reminded her. “And Christmas. I think he was pretty much invited to both of those get togethers.” She held up a hand when Emma tried to correct her. “You invited him to stay  _ knowing _ he’d probably be here through Christmas. So yes, that counts as an invitation to our festivities.”

“Well… just because he’s a bit obnoxious doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy,” Emma said. “And maybe he’s not as obnoxious as I make him out to be.”

“Or at all?” Mary Margaret giggled.

“Or at all.” Her goose was cooked. If the excited grin on Mary Margaret’s face was any indication, she knew that the wedding was pretty much already planned. 

Strangely enough, the thought of being tied to Killian forever didn’t bother her. Forever was a scary thing, because that was just it.  _ Nothing  _ lasts forever. Her first boyfriend had abandoned her before she ever found out her pregnancy was just a false alarm. Graham had passed away before she could really start to think about a future with him. Even Walsh, the man she sort of just settled for apparently had better places to be.

And then there was Killian. Before she even realized it, he was annoying his way into her heart. Maybe she’d only just let him in, but-

_ Dammit.  _

_ She had been so blind. _

“Emma?” Mary Margaret snapped her fingers.

“Sorry… I zoned out,” she muttered. “I was just thinking-”

“Door,” Mary Margaret interrupted.

“Huh?” 

“There’s someone at your door.”

_ Oh.  _

She made her way over to the door and smiled when she opened it to find Killian on the other side. After all the comotion they’d heard across the hall over the past couple days, she thought it might take him longer to clean up.

_ Apparently not.  _

“Hi,” she said, feeling just a little unsure in the moment. He was standing there looking like he was feeling just as unsure as she did. She knew she should say something,  yet… she couldn’t seem to snap out of the shyness that had suddenly overcome her.

“Is this a bad time?” he asked.

“I was just leaving,” Mary Margaret said as she brushed by them. 

“Did you want to come in?” Emma asked. 

“Actually…” The tips of his ears turned pink. “I was hoping to invite you over.” 

That was when she caught a whiff of whatever he was making across the hall.  _ God,  _ it smelled wonderful. Her stomach grumbled loudly and Killian laughed.

“Is that a yes?” he teased.

* * *

“I think you missed your calling in life,” Emma commented after they finished up dessert.

“Hey now,” he chuckled. “I’m pretty good at what I do. Plus, I  _ enjoy  _ my job down at the harbor. When it comes to cooking, there’s only one person I enjoy sharing it with.”

“Oh…”

He reached across the table and took her hands in his. “We haven’t really had much time to talk,” he said.

“To be fair, we had plenty of time and just chose not to,” she corrected. 

“But we should,” he said. “Because I don’t want this to turn into some casual fling. You’re far too special for that, Emma.”

Emma never felt special. She was abandoned as a baby, bounced around from home to home as a child, and forged her own way as an adult. A string of failed relationships followed her. She was never special enough for anyone to ever want to stay. And now… here was Killian telling her he thought she was special. That he  _ wanted  _ her in his life.

“Is this your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?” she asked, feeling a little silly about how she blurted it out. 

“I suppose that’s the point I was trying to make,” he nodded. “Is that your way of saying yes?”

“I guess it is,” she said. “Does this mean that we get to celebrate  _ all  _ of the holidays together now?”

* * *

_ Three Christmases Later… _

Killian had never had a real Christmas growing up. As a child, they were too poor, his mother was too sick, and his father was never around. Liam always did his best to make the holidays a bit more cheerful than the rest of the year when they were younger. After his brother passed, Killian never really saw much of a need anymore.

And then he met Emma. She seemed to view the holidays with the same indifference than he did. Until the year his apartment went haywire.

That first Christmas had been small and unexpected, but led to one hell of a New Year’s Eve. Their second Christmas, she asked him to move in with her, and he proposed at midnight that New Year.

They married later that year and found a home near the sea. Much to Mary Margaret’s surprise, they not only hosted Thanksgiving that year, but their Christmas festivities seemed to rival those of the one-time queen of Christmas. 

Now, they sat near the fireplace, snuggled under blankets, and admired their tree. Killian couldn’t help but wonder what Christmas would be like once they started having children.

“Swan?” 

“Hmmm?”

“Do you think our Christmases will be louder once we start having children?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t doubt it one bit,” she answered with a laugh. “But… I think it’ll be even more fun that way.”

“Aye,” he agreed. 

“I guess we’ll know for sure next year,” she said, almost too casually.

His breath caught and he turned to look at her. She was staring at her hands and fiddling with the blanket in her lap. Almost as though she wasn’t sure of his reaction. As if he could be anything but thrilled.

“Emma?” he asked. “Are you trying to tell me you’re pregnant?” 

“I guess so,” she nodded. “I know it’s a little sooner than we’d planned-”

She let out a surprised little noise when he kissed her, then, she started giggling so much he had to back away. 

“Is that your way of saying you’re happy about it?” she asked once she caught her breath.

“Do you really have to ask?”

Holly wasn’t born during the Christmas season, but Killian still told everyone that she was his favorite Christmas gift that year.

 


End file.
